Water Cooler Shenanigans

by Fern Shaw | Oct 23, 2014 | water cooler

As you may have gathered by now, I spend an inordinate amount of time water cooling. This doesn’t mean cooling by water (although this does play a part if you get what I mean, kind of, sort of) but rather that I lurk a lot at our office water cooler.

Before you get the idea that this is all about me skiving off, let me assure that this not.

Being at the water cooler garners a number of positive results – here are just a few for you to consider:

• It can mean a very effective manner of garnering office info (apart from all the current skinny endemic to an office environment). Because most people tend to socialise when they’re being watered or fed, you’re sure to pick up on some hot tips about what’s happening in the workplace.

• Setting a routine that involves you moving away from your work station; moving around and replenishing your water can only be good for your posture, well-being and hydration health.

• This in turn will keep you feeling refreshed, more ‘switched on’ and more likely to handle workload pressure.

• You get to meet colleagues that you perhaps haven’t met before past the ubiquitous e-mail contact.

In extreme situations (i.e. being around me), being around the water cooler can also mean:

• You get to lighten up your day by lounge-lizarding around the water cooler, who knows, you may well hear a cracker joke that will just make your day.

• You can play {safety first people!} water cooler games e.g.

1. Who makes the best water bottle gloomph;
2. Have a 20 second corniest word association face-off with a colleague – will keep you sharp witted if nothing else;
3. Play a water version of beer pong where you have to down water in place of beer – borinnnng I know, but mate, you are at work!
4. In the autumn and winter months, buy some tropical island type, neon coloured corkscrew straws and offer them up to colleagues when they come for water refills.

Told ya, loads of reasons to hang around the water cooler and most of them are good for you. See you there!

Water & Spiders

by Fern Shaw | Oct 7, 2014 | water cooler

Yes, it’s come to that. I’m addressing my fears. I know I’m probably one of millions of arachnophobes the world over, but when it comes to this particular fear, I’m only really interested in how it applies to me. And in case you were wondering as to why there’s a pretty photo of a spider’s web and not the topic at hand, all I can say is ‘are you  barking mad’ that you imagine an arachnophobe would add to their misery but pasting an image of the dreaded creatures anywhere.

I read recently that apparently spiders are repelled by peppermint oil. Joy abounded, until I did a little research and found out that the peppermint oil doesn’t work. Hmpf – back to square one. You might wonder why I’m going to such lengths to use a natural repellent vs. a manufactured chemical and it goes something like this: your average tin of Raid is chock full of serious chemicals (that most creatures are resistant to anyway) and you’re willingly spraying them in your home. As per some pop speak of today would ask – what’s up with that? Of course, when it comes to a pathological fear, one must take into account that in the past I was known to empty an entire tin of bug spray onto a spider – we don’t mess around spider size where I live – and then spend the next few days sleeping on the patio because of the fumes generated from the attack.

Another idea was to buy those cutesy little bubble type spray bottles – brightly coloured, of course – we all know what a sucker I am for the colourful – fill them with lemon water and try spraying the critters into submission. Ya, right – that went down like the proverbial Hindenburg.

So, for now, it would seem that I’m pretty much stuck. Not prepared to get in close enough to handle the things, which means no guaranteed outcome and also not prepared to chemical the nasty 8 leggers into submission. ‘Tis a quandary.

It’s such a shame, really, as when I think about the beauty that spiders produce – what’s more delicate and feat of nature gasp out loud amazing than a dew spread spider web I ask? Or the facts that spiders will munch most of the other in-house nasties like mozzies and flies?

I’ve had my ideas laughed at (a lot) around the water cooler and when the riff-raff heard of my water bottle spray deterrent, that provoked roars of laughter heard as far as the mailroom underground. But it’s fine, I’ll come up with something. They’re a pretty useless bunch anyhow, I’ve noticed that not one of them has come up with any useful ideas as it is, so what they’ve got to crow about, I’ve no idea.